31 July 2013

Has the day of miracles ceased?

"Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought..." -Moroni 7:35, 37

But Behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham... and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.-Mormon 9:11, 16, 19

The Book of Mormon prophets always seem to articulate my feelings and testimony so much better than I can. It seemed a fitting introduction and testament for the events I'm about to relate.

A couple weeks ago, the heavens opened up their windows and started pouring out blessings upon me... all on the same day.

After much fasting, prayer, and temple attendance this summer, I received an email telling me I'd been awarded the University of Birmingham-Santander Postgraduate Scholarship. Miracle! Now my tuition fees are about the same cost as my semester in Jerusalem, which seems entirely manageable in the way of debt.

That same morning I also received all of the information and paperwork necessary to finalize my housing arrangements. This housing literally fell into my lap... working out better than I ever could have done if I had tried to do it myself. Miracle!

There was also an email telling me that my student loan had been approved, which was the crucial step to making all this happen. And since I'm an international, postgraduate student without a cosigner, there was only ONE option for a student loan... so if it hadn't been approved, everything else would've been for naught. Miracle!

I also received a response from a job application I had submitted earlier in the summer, and I had an interview that afternoon. The job was with a house cleaning company. When I told her I'd received a scholarship and a loan and so would definitely be leaving for school in September, she decided she could only hire me as "on-call" for big deep cleans or other one-time jobs, but still that's a potential for earning money that I otherwise would not have had. It might help pay for an eye exam, or dental appointment, both of which I really need but cannot afford. So, miracle!

I am not sure why that all of these blessings were delivered at the same time, but it was an incredible, miraculous display of God's love for me, and His power to truly do all He can to bless me. And it was just one more stamp of approval and reassurance that going to England is definitely what God wants me to do.